Why You Shouldn't Brush As Soon As Your Meal is Done

Posted on 8/23/2017 by Doctor Kethcart

Everything we eat changes the composition of the insides of our mouth. Some foods add more acid to our mouths, while others add more alkalinity. When you are done eating a meal, it takes a little bit of time for your mouth to go back to its normal pH level. If you brush before this takes place, you could end up harming your mouth instead of taking away the debris that you wanted to clean up.

How Long to Wait After a Meal Before Brushing

If your meal was very acidic, you want to wait 30-60 minutes before you brush. This includes when you have things like tomato products, sodas, meats, and even a lot of carbs like bread and rice. If your meal was more alkaline, then only waiting 20-30 minutes is often necessary. This includes foods like tofu, eggs, unsweetened milk, raw honey, and nearly all vegetables.

During that time where you are waiting, your saliva is breaking down the debris that is in your mouth as it is washing your teeth, plus it is changing to balance out whatever you ate. If you ate heavy-acid foods, it is adding more alkalinity into your mouth, whereas if you ate a lot of alkaline foods, it is adding a bit of acid into your mouth to balance things back out.

If you tend to brush right when you are done eating, you need to stop. The sooner you are able quit that habit, the sooner your teeth are going to be in better shape. You do not want to wait too long, as going over an hour after eating can harm your teeth, too. Speak with your dentist about how long you should wait is a good idea, since they can talk with you about your typical diet.

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